When the clergy decided to focus our summer Divrei Torah on profiles in Jewish Living, with a weekly look at an inspiring Jewish public figure, I could have guessed that for one of them, I might choose Elie Wiesel, my selection from last month. I cannot say I expected that I would choose this week’s selection: the Nanny, Fran Drescher. Yet, at the American Conference of Cantors concert we hosted earlier this summer, the hilarious depiction of Fran Drescher moved me deeply. Because Fran Drescher truly knows who she is. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia Jewish Exponent Shabbat D’var Torah column: “‘With All Your Heart and Soul’ and Single-Tasking.” Am I right to guess that there are others out there who face the challenge–to simply do one thing at a time?
–Rabbi Jill Maderer

Well, it’s a farmers market. So that means all of your produce is fresh and local. It also means that you can ask the farmer exactly how it’s grown, so you know you’re not getting a weird pesticide cocktail, or a peach that seventy different people stuffed in their pants as a joke which really ends up being on you.

It’s located in what’s called a “food desert,” which means that it brings fresh produce to an area where people don’t have access to healthy, wholesome, affordable food stores.

It’s also one of the only markets that accepts EBT cards. As a person who has received food assistance, I can tell you that being able to use them at a farmers market would have made a drastic difference in the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that I bought.

There are demonstrations on how to pickle. FREE demonstrations. No one else is going to teach you how to pickle things for free. No one.

The farmers will know you, and they will remember what you bought, and they will make personalized recommendations. You may think ‘why would I want that?’ but you do want that. Trust me.

If you make an effort to shop at Common Ground, the farmers will stay, and it will continue to bring healthy, affordable options to an area that otherwise has none. You—yes you—will be personally responsible for bringing nutrition to people.

RS Blog is the official blog of Congregation Rodeph Shalom of Philadelphia. Rodeph Shalom is the Reform congregation in Center City Philadelphia and has been serving generations of families since 1795.